Open-Source Program Manager/Product Manager

VOLUNTEER ROLE DESCRIPTION Climate Resilient Communities

Role Title Open-Source Program Manager/Product Manager

Function Multilingual Climate Chatbot

Reports To Strategic Lead

Role Level Mid-Level/Senior

Time Commitment 7–10 hours per week

Start Date March 2, 2026

Duration Ongoing

Check-in Frequency Biweekly meetings

About Climate Resilient Communities Climate Resilient Communities (CRC) is a volunteer-run not-for-profit operating under Transition Toronto. We work at the intersection of community, data & AI, and climate change to strengthen communities' capacity to bounce forward from climate challenges. Our mission is to help community groups effectively advocate for their needs and find solutions to environmental, social, and economic challenges exacerbated by changing climate. Learn more at https://crc.place.

Role Purpose The Open-Source Program Manager/Product Manager will own the open-source strategy and execution for the Multilingual Climate Chatbot (MLCC) (https://crc.place/about-mlcc/, https://climatechat-to.ca)—ensuring the project grows adoption, stays organized, and keeps contributors happy while shipping meaningful releases. This role is the glue that keeps the open-source work structured, makes it easy for contributors to help, and ensures we ship regular releases with a clear story. You will bridge technical development, community engagement, and product strategy to create a thriving open-source climate information project that welcomes diverse contributors and delivers real impact for multilingual communities worldwide. Key Responsibilities Own open-source strategy and product execution:

• Roadmap and Prioritization: Define product roadmap and priorities in collaboration with stakeholders and the Technical Project Lead, balancing user needs with project goals

• Product Documentation: Write clear issues, specifications, and acceptance criteria that guide development work and enable effective collaboration

https://crc.place/about-mlcc/

• Contributor Management: Run contributor onboarding, issue triage, and issue grooming to maintain a healthy, welcoming open-source community

• Release Coordination: Coordinate releases including milestone planning, changelog creation, and versioning strategy to ship regular, well-documented updates

• Community Engagement: Manage community touchpoints across GitHub discussions, Discord/Slack channels, and project updates to keep contributors informed and engaged

Additional responsibilities include:

• Translate user needs and community feedback into prioritized product work and actionable development tasks

• Establish and maintain clean GitHub hygiene including labels, issue templates, triage processes, and contributor guidelines

• Create and maintain contributor onboarding flow with clear documentation and a "good first issues" pipeline

• Establish release cadence with consistent changelogs, release notes, and versioning practices

• Produce community updates such as monthly posts or demos showcasing project progress

• Track and report on basic metrics including activation, retention, and contributor funnel health

• Run async workflows effectively across time zones, keeping distributed volunteers aligned and productive

• Foster an inclusive, supportive environment that welcomes contributors of all skill levels and backgrounds

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of PM or program management experience, preferably in software or open-source contexts

• Strong writing and organizational skills for creating specs, documentation, release notes, and crisp tickets

• Comfortable running async workflows across distributed teams and multiple time zones

• GitHub proficiency including issues, PR workflows, labels, milestones, and project management

• Ability to translate user needs into prioritized product work and clear development roadmaps

• Self-motivated with excellent organizational skills and ability to keep complex projects on track

• Education: Degree or equivalent hands-on experience (portfolio/work history valued) Nice-to-Have Qualifications

• Open-source community experience as a maintainer, contributor, or community lead
• Familiar with developer tools, APIs, or data/AI products
• Experience with community growth strategies including newsletters, demos, launch

posts, or social media

• Understanding of OSS licensing and governance basics
• Metrics mindset with experience tracking activation, retention, or contributor funnel

metrics
• Experience working with volunteer or distributed teams in nonprofit or social impact

contexts
• Passion for climate action, open-source collaboration, and making information

accessible across languages

Key Deliverables & Success Metrics
• Public roadmap and milestone plan covering the next 8–12 weeks with clear priorities

and timeline
• Clean GitHub hygiene including organized labels, issue templates, triage process,

and comprehensive contributor guide
• Contributor onboarding flow with clear documentation and active "good first issues"

pipeline to welcome new contributors
• Established release cadence with consistent changelogs, release notes, and

versioning that tells a clear story
• Community updates delivered regularly (monthly post or demo) showcasing progress

and maintaining engagement
• Basic metrics tracking for project health including contributor activity, issue resolution,

and community growth
• Thriving contributor community with happy, engaged volunteers who find it easy to

contribute and feel valued for their work How to Apply Interested candidates should submit their application through the Google Form link: https://forms.gle/s6ULESPkGP9UiiEq7. Please include a brief statement of interest explaining why you're passionate about this role and any relevant experience within the form.

Climate Resilient Communities values diversity and inclusion, seeing volunteers as essential partners and co-creators. We value their diverse perspectives and community knowledge, encouraging them to

challenge and guide our initiatives.

https://forms.gle/s6ULESPkGP9UiiEq7